Bale tie buckle



March 15, 1932. A. BIRCH ET AL BALE IIE BUCKLE Aug. 29

I 50 complementary Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UN I ALVIN L. BIRCH, OF ELMHURS'I, NEW YORK,

AND JOHN EKERN o'r'r, or IImsnALE,

' ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO ACME STEEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORA- 'IION or ILLINOIS BALE TIE Application filed August 29,

This invention relates to improvements in bale tie buckles and its purpose is to provide an improved buckle adapted for use in uniting the ends of a strap or other tie member which is passed around a bale. The device of the present invention is intended for use in uniting the ends of straps or other tie members passed around bales of various commodities such as paper, textile goods, cotton,

hay and the like.

The principal object "of the invention is to provide an improved buckle comprising two members each attached to one end of the strap and each adaptedlto interlock with the other member to form a secure connection between i the ends of the strap. A further important object'is to provide a bale tie buckle comprising two interlocking members which coact with each other to set up compressive stresses chiefly, thus avoiding the bend stresses which have been present in various buckles which have heretofore been designed for this purpose. A further object ofthe invention is to provide a buckle comprising two complementary members attached to the ends of the strap and coacting with each other on areas which lie substantially in the plane of the connected ends of the strap. Still another object is to provide a bale tie buckle comprising two identical members each having means for receiving a loop in one end of the'strap and each having means for interlocking with the other member to form a secure but releasable connection between the ends of the strap. Another feature of the invention is the provision of a buckle com prising two'complementary members each connectedto one end of the strap or tie member and eachhaving a part adapted to pass 40 into wedging engagement with the other member. Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings, in which one embodiment is illustrated. In the drawings,

' Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the two buckle members connected to through the slot 12 BUCKLE 1930. Serial No, 478,606.

the ends of the bale strap, illustrated by ing engagement with each other after the bale has been temporarily. compressed by tightening the strap around 1t; I

Fig. 2 shows-the buckle and strap in. elevation after the two buckle members have been passed into interlocking engagement wlth each other;

Fig. 3 shows a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows a vertical section taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2; and

Iiig. 5 shows a side elevation of the, strap and buckle members when they occupy the positions illustrated in Fig. 2.

The improved bale tie comprises two identical buckle members 10 each having a base plate 11 provided with a transverse slot 12 therethrough. The bale tie member, which in this instance is illustrated as a flat, bendable steel strap 13, is adapted to be passed with the body portion thereof looped over one edge 14 of'the plate 11.

The body portion is extended parallel to the free end 13" of the strap onthe side thereof opposite the edge 14 about which the, strap is looped. The inner sideof'the plate 11 is stamped or otherwise formed to provide a depression or groove 15, substantially of width of the strap,and of adepth to receive two thicknesses of the strap between the slot 12 and the edge 16 of the plate beyond which the two thicknesses of strap extend; The groove 15 in the body portion of the plate is of a depth to receive a single thickness of the strap. The body portion of the plate is provided with two opposite hooks 17 whichhave the extremities 17 thereof inclined to the plane of the plate 11 to form inner inclined wedge surfaces 18. Each buckle member is further provided at each side with a longitudinally extending ear 19 which forms acontinuation of the base of one of the hooks 17 and these cars, on one buckle member, are adapted to pass into engagement with the hooks 1.7 on the other buckle member and to be wedged inwardly within the same by reason of the inner inclined wedge surfaces 18.

the

toward the portion of the strap 13 to which the other buckle member is. attached. The two buckle members are also oppositely directed in that, assuming the strap to be vertical, one part 11 is directed downwardly while the other is directed upwardly. The extremities 13 of the ends of the strap are both on the outer sides of the body portions of the strap adjacent the buckle member. After the two buckle members have been attached to the ends of the strap by looping the ends of the strap around the buckle members and through the slot 12, as shown in Fig. 1, the bale of material about which thestrap passes is temporarily compressed in a bale press or the like to permit the strap to be drawn taut in order to cause the ends to overlap and then each buckle member-is passed into engagement with the end portion of the strap to whichthe other buckle member is attached by causing the spaced hook members 17 on one member to embrace the portion of the strap attached to the other member, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The pressure of the bale press is then released and the expansion of the bale will then draw the two buckle members into interlocking engagement with each other wherein the ears 19 on one buckle member pass beneath the inclined portions 17 of the hooks or jaws 17 on the other member.

As this occurs, the surfaces 18 force each.

- bers and the interlocking parts is preferably such that the areas 17 over which the jaw members coact with each other. as shown in Fig. 3, are substantially in the same plane with the aligning portions of the strap 13 which are connected to the two buckle members This eliminates any bending stresses on the buckle members since they coact with each other on transversely extending surfaces 17* over the relatively small areas 17 which are intersected at their centers, substantially,

, by a plane containing the connected strapends. I V

The buckle of the present invention not only has the advantage that bending stresses are avoided due'to the location and arrangement of the coacting parts of the buckle members but also has a great advantage arising from the identity of the two complementary members which permits the members to be attached on opposite ends of the strap without the necessity of exercising any choice in picking out the membersto be used. In addition, the simplicity of construction of the complementary buckle members permits them to be manufactured at relatively small cost and allows them to be readily assembled on the straps in a convenient mannen. If it be found after trial or continued use that the complementary bucklemember's, when interconnected, do not maintain the connected straps sufficiently taut, the strap may be momentarily tightened around the bale to permit the buckle members to be released from each other and then one of these members may be adjusted to a new position on the strap in order to cause the strap to be main- .tained'in a tighter condition when the two. buckle members are again moved into interlocking engagement with each other. .7 Although one form of the invention has constructed in various other forms within'the scope of theappended claims.

We claim: 7

1. A bale tie buckle comprising two complementarymembers each adapted to be connected to one end of the bale 'tie and each having transversely extending shoulders interlocking with similar shoulders on the other member substantially in the plane of the bale tie. f v

'2. A bale tie buckle comprising two com plementary members each having a slot adapted to be engaged by one end of the bale tie and each having a pair of aws to embrace a part of the other member, said complemen tary members having shoulders extending transversely to the length of said bale tie to coact with each other, substantially in the plane of said tie but transversely thereto.

3. A bale tie buckle comprising two complementary members each having a transverse slot therethrough, and a strap looped over each of said members .and having freeends each passed inwardly through one 'of said slots, each of said members being recessed on its inner side to receive said portions of said strap lying on the inner side thereof, said members each having a pair of jaws adapted to embrace and having a wedging engagement with a part ofthe other member,

the ends of said jaws on one member being adapted to coact with the ends of the jaws on the other member in planes extending transversely to the length of the bale tie.

at. The combination with a bale tie strap:

of a pair of similar complementary buckle members each comprising a plate having parts adapted to receive one'free end of said strap and each having a pair'of inturned jaws adapted to receive between them the portion of said strap to which the other buckle member is connected, said jaws on one member being adaptedto embrace and have a wedging engagement with a portion of said members having parts adapted to inter lock with the other member and each of said 'parts having a surface coacting with a similar surface on the other member in a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said strap whereby forces are transmitted from one member to the other through said surfaces.

6. The combination with a bale tie strap of a pair of similar complementary buckle members each comprising a plate having a slot to receive one free end of said strap and each having a pair of jaws adapted to embrace a portion of the plate of the other memher and to coact with surfaces of the other member lying in a plane extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said strap.

7. The combination with a bale tie strap of a pair of similar complementary buckle members each comprising a plate having parts adapted for connection with one free end of said strap and each having a pair of jaws adapted to receive between them a portion of the plate of the other member, said jaws on one member being adapted to coact on their ends with the jaws on the other member in a plane extending transversely of said strap and substantially in the plane of said strap whereby forces are transmitted from one buckle member to the other by compression.

In testimony whereof, we have subscribed our names.

ALVIN L. BIRCH. JOHN EKERN OTT. V 

